[KS] Sun-imgum

[Sayers, Robert]

Inspired by the discussion of Mangbusok, I thought that I'd put a
similar query before the forum.  Does anyone know anything about
Sun-imgum, or King Sun (Seun)?  When I was interviewing traditional
onggi potters in Cholla-namdo in the 1980s, the latter occasionally
referred to a story about an ancient king who, during a period of exile,
had to take up pottery-making for a living.  When he went out to the
market to sell his jars, his command "tok sara, tok sara" (or onggi
sara) elicited no takers.  Only when the queen gently suggested that he
call out "tok saseyo, tok saseyo" was he able to sell his ware.  My
informants took away from this story two lessons:  First, that their
station in society couldn't be so low if King Sun himself made onggi.
And, second, that even the king couldn't get away with talking down to
his subjects.  (I might mention that there are some cynical variations
on the story; but this is the one I heard most often.)  
 
I thought, perhaps, that this story might have a Chinese antecedent
(e.g., Mencius), especially since Sun-imgum was sometimes represented as
a Chinese king.  So far, though, I haven't been able to find a
connection.  I'm trying to finish a long-term book project on the
history of the onggi industry which in some areas has a connection with
the history of Catholicism in Korea and in other areas does not.  This
story figures in my discussion of the non-Catholic potter community.  
 
Thanks in advance for any insights anyone can offer.
 
Robert H. Sayers
Arlington, VA    
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